It was inevitable, and now it’s here: Warner Brothers has announced a complete Lord of the Rings and Hobbit box set.
WB’s announced two box set options with vastly different price tags.
Let’s start with the cheap one: The Middle-earth 6-Film Collection simply includes all six movies on six Blu-ray discs and is priced at $68.99 (or $35.99 for the DVD). There are no extra special features, just the theatrical versions of the movies. It’ll be available November 1 and is sure to be a quick way to collect ’em all.
But if you want something bigger, and you have $800 to spend, then the Middle Earth Limited Collector’s Edition is for you.
The Limited Collector’s Edition includes 30 discs featuring the extended editions of The Hobbit’s An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
According to WB, each film is housed “in six faux leather books and a collectible Hobbit-style wood shelf. In addition, all previously released bonus content from both the theatrical and extended edition releases will be included in the collection.
“Also included in the collection are premium collectibles including an exclusive 100-page sketch-style book with replica The Red Book of Westmarch, and two original reproductions of watercolor paintings by acclaimed conceptual artists Alan Lee and John Howe.”
A few other details, courtesy WB:
Bonus content from The Lord of the Rings trilogy theatrical and extended editions will be included on DVD disc. The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy features more than 2 hours of extended scenes that were carefully selected under the supervision of director Peter Jackson, and more than 33 hours of theatrical and extended bonus content. The Hobbit Extended Edition Trilogy features almost one hour of additional footage, also selected by Jackson (The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies extended edition is rated R), and more than 34 hours of theatrical and extended bonus content. Additionally, digital copies of all films in their theatrical and extended edition forms will be included for download on Digital HD.
If you’re just looking for all of the movies in their extended edition form, but without all of the bonus features and big price tag, then you’re out of luck — for now.
The box sets arrive November 1, just under two years after The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opened in theaters.